The present invention relates to a biodegradable article applied to a fishing tackle or a sports article frequently used in a natural environment.
Recently, there is a stream of consciousness to protect the natural environment, and an investigation is made to prevent fishing tackles or sports articles, which are frequently used in the natural environment, from being discarded to the natural environment. To be in more detail, fishing tackles such as fishing lines or sports articles such as tees used for golf are made of resin material such as polyethylene which is very stable in the natural environment. Accordingly, discarded articles are left approximately permanently in the natural environment without being denatured. This causes a problem in the environmental consciousness, so that materials to be used for these articles are investigated.
Recently, a trial is made to use biodegradable material for these articles. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-41937 discloses a spool for fishing made of biodegradable material. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-43637 discloses a fishing net or a fishing line made of biodegradable material.
However, in the case of the articles described above, biodegradable material is exposed to the outside. Therefore, biodegradation advances at the start of use in accordance with the environmental condition (the existence of bacterium) in which the articles are used. Accordingly, the performance and quality of the articles are remarkably deteriorated, so that a period of time in which the articles can be used is reduced, and also the frequency of use of the articles is reduced. The more excellent the biodegradability is, that is, the higher the biodegradable speed is in the natural environment, the more remarkable the above phenomenon is.
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention-has been achieved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a biodegradable article which can be used for a period of time of normal use while the performance and quality are maintained high, and further the biodegradable article exhibits an excellent biodegradability in the natural environment.